Romania and Bulgaria both joined the EU in 2007 and became subject to an ad hoc tool created by the European Commission to evaluate the progress of the two countries. Today, however, there is a growing gap between the two states: while European Commission officials have suggested the possibility of Romania graduating out of the mechanism soon, there has been very little progress recorded in Bulgaria. Eli Gateva argues that the questions about how and when the CVM will be ended have overshadowed the debates about its effectiveness and that the recent worrying developments in Poland and Hungary show that a more comprehensive approach to the rule of law is needed.

A recently published report represents the first attempt to assess the views of the citizens in four Serb-majority municipalities in north Kosovo. The goal of the research was to gain insight into the key social and economic issues Kosovo Serbs face. Joanna Hanson provides an analysis, remarking that a lack-of-trust theme runs throughout the report.

On 10 November, a month later than usual, the European Commission released its annual reports on the progress achieved by EU candidate and potential candidate countries. We asked seven experts in the region to give their responses to the key points raised for each state. (If you are interested in how this compares to last year’s reports, the 2014 expert reactions are available here).

How has the refugee crisis affected countries in South Eastern Europe? In a discussion on the situation in Serbia, Croatia and Hungary, James Ker-Lindsayargues that with no country – Germany included – managing to get all of their moves right, the crisis is proving to be the most divisive issue Europe has so far had to face.

Serbs in the North of Kosovo, whose status was at the centre of the 2013 Brussels Agreement, were not a part to the negotiations. Today, their still unclear position is causing “uncertainty, dissatisfaction, distrust and fear” among the community. A recent report has attempted to tell the story through their voices. Joanna Hanson runs through the key points.

Mitrovica city centre: the town is divided by the Ibar river both geographically and politically. North Mitrovica is inhabited by 76.6% Serbs, 16.6% Albanians. Photo by Agron Beqiri, CC-BY-SA-3.0

Andrea Capussela discusses the many paradoxes of Kosovo’s special court, which was supposed to investigate and deliberate upon the serious human rights abuses during and after the 1998-1999 war – and asks six questions.

ICJ – Public Hearing of the “Accordance with International Law of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government of Kosovo”. CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The latest corruption scandal in Romania has brought charges against Prime Minister Victor Ponta. Despite calls from President Klaus Iohannis for Ponta to resign, Ponta is so far refusing to go, claiming that the case will be “meticulously dismantled … through clear proof and certified documents”. The scandal threatens to produce another summer of political conflict and polarisation with attention focussed on corruption and internecine political battles rather than economic, social and international issues. Words by Daniel Brett.

Politician and businessman Liviu Dragnea and PM Victor Ponta during the recent floods in Romania – from media.hotenews.ro

The Western Balkan countries have undergone dramatic economic transformations since the beginning of the 21st century. However, in spite of a complicated reform process launched after the political and economic instability of 1990s, the countries still lag way behind EU member states. What makes it so difficult for them to catch up with more developed economies of the continent? Cigdem Borke Tunali provides an analysis from an economic standpoint.

‘Even though the Western Balkan countries have made a significant progress in terms of economic stability in recent years, their economies are still vulnerable. Current account deficits are unavoidable’, argues Dr Tunali (Image by Peter Denton, Dubrovnik 1991, CC BY-SA 2.0)

South East Europe could take inspiration from its Central European neighbours and focus on regional cooperation to boost its talks about Euro-Atlantic integration, Jarosław Wiśniewski suggests. 26 years after the region ‘returned to Europe’ following the first partially free elections in Poland, he outlines five key lessons for the Balkans.

Since October 2014, Croatian war veterans have been camping in front of the Ministry dedicated to them. They are protesting against the government in power and requesting more rights for themselves – though, relatively speaking, they have been treated as a privileged group so far. How political is their protest? Ana Ljubojević gives an overview of this sensitive issue.

Protesters requesting the ousting of the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs Predrag Matić, of his deputy Vesna Nađ and of his assistant Bojan Glavašević. From www.braniteljski-portal.hr